Flagstaff-holder.



W. L. DEMING- FLAGSTAFF HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22 1917 1,279,669. Patented Sept. 24, 1918.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFioE.

WILLIAML. DEMING, on OHIQ.

' FLAGSTAFF-HQLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 22, 1917. Serial No. 176,257.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. DEMING,

such as are presented at various points on 5 an automobile. Another-object of the invention is to so arrange the device that the clamp may be combined with a gripping device having a yielding member adapted to coact with flag staffs of different diameters. Further objects are to render the device simple, compact, artistic in appearance and capable of being cheaply manufactured.

A preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and the essential bharacteristics are summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of an automobile illustrated in broken' lines, showing my device and flag secured thereby in solid lines; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device, showing the lower portion of the flag stafl"; Fig. 3 is a plan of the same, the flag staff being sectioned; Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section through the device.

Describing the parts by reference characters, As indicates a transverse rod provided on many forms of automobiles and acting as a brace between the lamps L on which may be mounted one or several of my flag stafl supports, thus permitting the grouping of the American flag with the flags of our allies. It is to be understood, however, that my flag staif support i capable of being secured to various parts of the automobile by gripping, for example, edge flanges or beaded edges of the mud guards.

In the form shown, the device comprises two body members 6 and 7, slightly separated except at transverse abutting projmtions or ribs 8 which form a pivot about which these body members may swing to grip a rod or tube indicated at A. It will be noted, however, that the separated surand tightly gripped thereby.

- 23 integral faces between the body members 6 and '4' will serve equally well to grip a fiat edge of a metal member, or the cavities shown as embracing the rod may embrace a bead at the edge of uch a member.

The clam ing is accomplished preferably by means of a screw 10 extendin loosely through openings in the body members and provided with a nut 11 engaging a shoulder on the bodv at one side of the nut, whereby the nut is preventedfrom turning'when the screw is rotated by the screw driver.

Extending from the bodies 6 and 7 are outwardly curved arms 11 and 12 through which extend substantially V-shaped opening l4 andl5. The corresponding sides of the openings 14 and 15 in the upper and lower arms are substantially parallel, Where- Patented Sept. 24, 1918.

by when the flag staff is thrust therethrough it may be pressed laterally and wedged tightly into engagement with two pairs of converging surfaces and be positioned It will be seen that these openings .will accommodate flagstaffs of different sizes; To

provide means for urging the staff toward the small side of the openings, Whatever its size, I have shown a fiat spring member 20, which is bent around and closely embraces a cross piece 21 integral with the arm 14 and forming a closure for the outer side of this opening 14:. Below this cross piece I 21 the spring is curved inwardly and then outwardly and rests against a cross piece with the lower arm 15, while a continuation of the spring is shown as bent laterally and slightly upwardly as at 25 forming a stop upon which the lower end of the flag staff may rest.

It will be seen that flag staffs of different sizes may be thrust through the openings v 14 and 15, which results in pressing the intermediate or arched portion ofthe spring. outwardly, and When theflag staff is in engagement with both openings and resting upon the hookedlower end of the spring, the intermediate portion of the spring urging it toward the narrow side of the openings 14 and 15 firmly clamps and accurately positions the staff.

The form of spring may be varied materially, one or more bent wires forming a convenient substitute for the flat spring. The stop for the lower end of the flag staif may, if desired, be made rigid with the arm 12. although it is desirable to form such stop on the spring to avoid ditlicnltv in casting the parts of the device. It will also be seen that the form of the surfaces or cavities between the body members may be varied to suit the particular surface to be clamped therebetween.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a simple, effective flag staff holder which may be clamped upon a variety of surfaces, it being only necessary to tighten the screw 10 to bring the body members 6 and 7 together about the pivot formed by the abutting ribs 8. The device may then be left in position while the flag may be readily removed or replaced. The particular type shown is well adapted to grouping several flags on a rod forming an automobile part. By merely clamping several of these members onto a rod, such as illustrated at A, any desired number or group of flags may be arranged in an artistic fashion.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a flag staff holder, the combination of a pair of relatively movable members, a screw for bringing said members together onto a support, each of said members having an arm, said arms having cavities for engaging a flag staff at separated points, and means for urging the flag staflf into said cavities.

2. A flag staff hOldeI comprising relatively movable members adapted to be clamped upon a support, each of said members being provided with an embracing cavity havin flaring sides, and means for urging the ag staff into the converging portion of said sides.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a pair of body members having surfaces adapted to engage a rigid support and having meeting projections, a screw extending through the body members between the projections and said surfaces, arms projecting forwardly from the body members and having alined cavities for embracing the flag staff. and means for urging the flag staff into said openings.

In a device of the character described, the combination of body members having cavities to embrace a support, a screw for urging the members together, arms projecting forwardly from the body members and having alined openings adapted to receive a flag staff, and a spring carried by one of the arms and engaging the other and arched inwardly therebetween to engage the flag staff,

said spring being provided with a stop to engage the staff at its lower end.

In a ling staff support, the combination of a. pair of relatively movable members, connecting means for urging them together to cause them to clamp upon a support, out- 'wardlv flaring arms on said members provided with alined openings, the side surfaces of which converge, said openings adapted to receive flag staffs of different, sizes, a spring. a transverse member on one of Said arms around which said spring is closely bent, said spring extending to said other arm and being adapted to urge the staff toward the narrower portion of said openings.

6. In a flag staff support, the combination of two relatively movable members, each having a portion adapted to overhang a support and a projecting arm with an opening through it, means for bringing the two overhanging portions toward each other on opposite sides of the support to clamp the device to the support, at least one of said members having a lug adjacent to the free end of its arm, and a spring hooked onto said lug and occupying the cavities of the arms and adapted to force a flag staff occupying such cavities against the surfaces of the cavities.

7. In a flag staff holder, the combination of two separated arms, each provided with a cavity adapted to receive a flag staff, a spring occupying said cavities and secured to one of the arms and having its lower portion formed into a step to engage the lower end of the flag staff, and means for clamping the device on support.

8. In a flag staff holder, the combination of a pair of relatively movable members, each having an arm with an opening through it, means for clamping said members together on a support and with the openings of the arms in alinement, the upper arm havingan upwardly extending lug, and a leaf spring hooked around said lug and depending within the openings and across the space between the arms. said spring being bowed toward the support in the intervening space and said spring having its lower end bent in the gene 'al direction of the support to form a step against which the end of the fi'a g staff may abut.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM L. DEMING.

\Vitnesses V. N. PEARSON, JOHN G. Aneos'rmn. 

